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Superintendent outlines $2 million curriculum purchase and PD plan
Summary
District administrators told the committee they plan to buy new curriculum across subjects at an estimated cost of about $2 million, with half paid this year and grant applications to offset the remainder; professional development is scheduled for June, August and beyond.
Lowell Public Schools officials told the school committee they plan to spend roughly $2 million on new instructional materials spanning literacy, math and science and to roll out professional development before the next school year.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Doctor Pinto said the district expects to pay for approximately half of the curriculum this fiscal year and to seek $800,000 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education through a grant application. "We're paying for half of the curriculum as we discussed in the subcommittee this year," Pinto said, and "we are writing... the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with the hopes of getting $800,000 in return."
Administrators said vendors have started shipping materials and that professional development will begin in June, continue in August and include follow-up sessions during the academic year to prepare staff for implementation on Sept. 1. Committee members asked whether purchases could be shifted into the current year; staff said about $500,000 of the buy has already been ordered from the current fiscal year budget.
The committee did not take a separate vote on the curriculum purchase at the meeting; staff said they will return with grant results and implementation specifics.
